Putt Putt Time..

Having the day all to ourselves, Chad and I decided to try out a new (or at least new to us) mini golf course. We always have the best time just being silly with each other. :)

Check out this man's SKILLS!!

Catching a ride to the next hole.. :)

Saaaaayyyy CHEESE!

Labor Day Weekend..

Just like old times...

I hate to admit that I don't even remember the last time the girls and I were able to get together like this. It was soooooo fabulous to see all my college station girlies again. I missed them so much! This time around it was the girlies AND their honeys as well. :) Even though it takes a while to get everyone's schedules together, the moment we all see each other, it's like we never missed a beat. I love and miss my friends dearly, and although we are all doing FABULOUSLY in our own little part of Texas, I still wish we were all in the same city... Here's a little sampling of the fun times we had..

My girl Jenny Penny and her man Brent

A couple bottles of wine and a scrabble game later..

Tag teaming it.. :)

Dallas Aquarium...

Seeking out a little underwater action, we headed downtown to the Aquarium. :)

Sweet little Fierro/Caldera family.. :)

He is so silly.. :)

Xuxa, where did you go?! You're the only one missing from this picture!

Awww.. there she is! Handsome Lucas munching away at his Frito bag.. :)

Nasher...

I love that Chad and I have the same desire to “get out there”. For as much as we love lounging around, which I might add, I do VERY, VERY well during the time that I’m waiting for him to come home each night, we both love to seek out new things. During our time together (usually Sundays) we love to explore the city. On this particular Sunday afternoon, we found ourselves at the Nasher Sculpture Center downtown. Although we’ve both been there before, going there together for the first time felt like a whole new experience.

Hail Caesar!!

On his quest to become Dallas' most famous chef, Chad took part in another foodie event to get his name out there...and yet again, I recruited another willing "belly" to be my date. :) This time it was Chad's fan club Vice President Mrs. Lisa Roden, Chad's other biggest fan, and co-groupie. She helped me enjoy the event tasting nearly 15 amazing variations of the seemingly simple salad. :)Who knew there were SOOOOOOO many ways to prepare a Caesar Salad?!! I didn't even know anything like this would even exist! A Caesar Salad Competition?! In Dallas?! Who knew?! But boy was it fun to try out everything and vote for our favorites.

Waiting for the results..

On shaky ground...

So.. it’s a good thing we went to Disneyland when we did cause if we had waited for this particular day, we would’ve been disappointed. I couldn’t even BELIEVE what happened that morning as we were having brunch… I experienced my very first EARTHQUAKE!!! It was INSANE!! I can finally add and then quickly CROSS OFF “Experiencing an earthquake” from my list of things to do/experience before I die. Lol. How nuts!! Apparently California hadn’t even had one in like eight years or something.. and the ONE weekend that Chad and I go, the FIRST weekend I meet his family, THAT’S when there’s an EARTHQUAKE?!! It was certainly memorable that’s for sure. Luckily there wasn’t much damage across the city and it actually just felt like I was walking on a tight rope/plank bridge. There was a huge initial shutter, almost as if the ground gave way from underneath us then…nothing. Right then Chad and I looked at each other from across the table with confusion before it clicked. Earthquake! Almost instinctively, Chad jumped up, grabbed me and led me to a doorway where we braced for the second wave of shutters. The next set lasted several seconds rocking the picture frames on the walls and making the chandelier in the house go NUTS! After it was all said and done, we stood there a moment in shock before his Aunt came out from wherever she was hunkered down to find out if we were ok. We were fine. Shaken and maybe a bit stirred…but… A-OK!! :)


Balboa Island..
After the fiasco of the morning had subsided, we carried on with our day without much hiccup. We made a brief stop at Christy and Ryan’s apartment before heading to Balboa Island with Chad’s mom. We weren’t there very long, but from what I saw, it seemed like a super cute, but VERY EXPENSIVE tourist trap. Quaint little shops with odds and ends that could easily make anyone’s wallet lighter. Very, very cute place to waste away an afternoon though… hmmm… maybe when we win the lottery. :)





Newport Beach..Our next stop was another family bbq with Chad’s dad and his side of the family. After saying our initial hello’s and doing the standard introductions, we found a second to sneak away to cruise along the waterfront on some old school bikes.

Coming back from our ride around beautiful Newport Beach

Sweet baby McKenzie, Logans little sis

My future nephew Logan... munching on watermelon

Chad, being a good influence.. lol

Having a little run in with Christy and Ryan's dog Jack Schmitt :)

I swear there wasn’t an UGLY place ANYWHERE in sight. And believe me, I LOOKED. Again, we ate, stuffed ourselves silly and ended the night by making some smore’s over the fire pit! Mmmmmmm…. Ooooeeeeyyy, Goooeeey GOODNESS!!! :)

DISNEYLAND!

Day 2 in California:
My first ADULT visit to Disneyland! I felt like a little kid again. All the same anticipation I’m sure I had felt as a child waiting for the day my parents took me to see Mickey, was building up inside me again as we got closer and closer to the Disney entrance. For the most part, it was just as I remembered it as a kid. With the exception of the rides, the feelings that place evokes were all the same. I’m a dork. Lol.. I know this, but we really DID have a fun time. We spent almost the ENTIRE day there… with the exception of meeting his mom for breakfast at a quaint breakfast joint earlier that morning. I LOVE YOU MICKEY!! You’re my HERO! Lol… ;)

Standing in front of the castle..

My goofball <3>

Like a kid in a candy store.. :)

California!!

Not long after we had planned our trip to the valley for Cynthia’s wedding, we had begun our quest for decently priced flights to California (so I could meet Chad’s family!!! : ). Having just been there in March (and not scheduled for his next visit until his usual time over Christmas), his family soon realized how serious our relationship was getting. Luckily for me, they are the most unbelievably loving and supportive family anyone could ask for. All they really seemed to care about was Chad’s happiness…and truth be told, that’s all I really cared about also. ;) He was happy with me, so they were happy that we were together. His mom, his aunt and all his extended family seemed to embrace me right from the start and things just seemed to fall right into place.

Although we were only there a few days, it was GO time as soon as we stepped off the plane.

July 27, 2008
-We wake up at the BUTT CRACK OF DAWN. Due to my nerves and excitement, sleep was no longer possible past 4:30am so we began our trip at IHOP with a quick pre-dawn breakfast before making our way to DFW airport.

-We are met and whisked away by his sister Christy and her two adorable kids Logan (2yrs) & McKenzie (6mo).
-We arrive at his mom’s place and have yet ANOTHER (this time gourmet style :) breakfast of eggs w/spinach and feta & tasty bagels w/cream cheese prepared collectively by everyone in the room. We sit out on the back porch overlooking the most gorgeous view I’ve seen in a long, long time as we enjoy our food and each other’s company. Perched on top of a southern Californian hill, I just couldn’t get over the perfectly breezy, sunny but cool July weather!

-A few hours later Chad rangles us up a car so we can do a little sight seeing before making our way to his aunts house for a family bbq.

-We hike along the beach for a bit then make our way to see the St. Regis hotel nearby. Just one word to describe that place. WOW!

-A bit of sightseeing aside, we finally find ourselves at his Aunt Denise and Uncle Bob’s house. We are greeted by warm hellos and welcoming hugs. Being a family of foodies, it takes all of TWO seconds to fill our bellies for the THIRD time in about 6 hours.. lol. We eat, we laugh, we mingle and eventually find ourselves blissfully tired and pooped out from the day. It was a GREAT first day in California that's for sure!